‘Whining’ Duterte under fire yet again over misogynist statement

“President Duterte is whining like a crybaby for being supposedly deprived of his freedom of speech when he does not even care at all over the grave deprivation of dignified living that women have been subjected to under his regime.”

MANILA – Women rights advocates are up in arms over President Rodrigo’s Duterte’s latest misogynist pronouncement – this time invoking his freedom of expression to joke about women.

“To joke about rape, demean women and order violence against women is not, and will never be, an exercise of one’s freedom of expression. We are not in despair. We are enraged,” said Gabriela secretary general Joms Salvador in a Facebook post.

From his president campaign to present, Duterte has been repeatedly under fire over his misogynistic statements, which he delivers during his official functions as the country’s highest elected official.

Two days ago, in an event that supposedly honors women, President Duterte said that women are depriving him of his freedom of expression. He claimed that he does not remember an incident disrespecting women, adding that he loves them. As proof, in fact, he said that he has two wives.

“President Duterte is whining like a crybaby for being supposedly deprived of his freedom of speech when he does not even care at all over the grave deprivation of dignified living that women have been subjected to under his regime,” Gabriela Women’s Party said in a statement.

In a CBCP News, Benedictine nun Sr. Mary John Mananzan said that as the president utters “insulting and demeaning words to women, then they have the right to criticize you, and condemn what you say.”

Veteran journalist and #BabaeAko convenor Inday Espina-Varona pointed out in a two-minute video posted on her Facebook account that President Duterte “commands headline” of the dominant media and has in his disposal an entire communication infrastructure, which includes an army of trolls.

“Duterte would not recognized rights if these were waved in front of his face,” she added.

Instead of despair, Varona said women are determined to “fight you (Duterte) and your abuses every step of the way.”

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